昆士兰上诉法院近日裁定，因在2021年12月家庭聚会上性侵一名15岁女孩而被定罪的已婚夫妇克里斯托弗·卢克·希利和李·凯瑟琳·希利的刑期应予加重[1]。昆士兰总检察长以原判刑期"明显不足"为由提起上诉，上诉法院法官托马斯·布拉德利同意该上诉意见[1]。
根据2024年4月陪审团的裁决，克里斯托弗和李两人被认定犯有两项强奸罪、对儿童进行猥亵行为、向儿童展示不当影片等多项罪行[1]。克里斯托弗还因向儿童供应大麻被定罪[1]。原判中李·希利被判监禁6年，克里斯托弗·希利被判监禁7年[1]。经上诉法院裁定，两人各增加1年刑期[1]。
上诉后，李·希利的最短刑期延长至18个月，预计于2027年4月假释[1]；克里斯托弗·希利的最短刑期延长至25个月，预计于2028年4月假释[1]。法官布拉德利在判决中表示，"他们的性犯罪是机会主义的，但同样是蓄意的和掠夺性的"[1]。此外，两人针对原判的定罪上诉也被驳回[1]。
A married couple in Queensland, Australia, has received increased prison sentences following an appeal by the state's Attorney-General over their conviction for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl at a house party in December 2021 [1]. Christopher Luke Heeley and Lee Catherine Heeley were originally sentenced to seven and six years imprisonment respectively after a jury found them guilty in April 2024 of multiple charges including two counts of rape, indecent treatment of a child, and exposure of inappropriate material to a minor [1]. Christopher Heeley was also convicted of supplying cannabis to a minor [1].
Appeal Court Judge Thomas Bradley agreed with the prosecution's argument that the original sentences were "manifestly inadequate," imposing an additional one year on each defendant's sentence [1]. Lee Heeley's earliest release date has been extended to April 2027, with her minimum non-parole period now set at 18 months, while Christopher Heeley's earliest release date has been pushed to April 2028 with a minimum non-parole period of 25 months [1]. In his judgment, Judge Bradley stated: "Their sexual crimes were opportunistic, but equally deliberate and predatory" [1]. The couple's appeal against their original conviction has also been rejected [1].